A refurbished phone is a previously owned or returned device that has been checked and tested before being offered for resale.

At Want a New Gadget, every refurbished phone is tested to ensure it is fully functional and meets our minimum battery-health standard.

For a more detailed explanation, read our What Is a Refurbished Phone? guide.

A used or second-hand phone is a device that has previously been owned and is being sold again. When bought privately, it may be sold in its existing condition without a formal testing process, cosmetic grading system or retailer warranty.

The condition and level of checking therefore depend on the individual seller and how the phone is being sold.

A refurbished phone should be checked and tested before resale.

At Want a New Gadget, our refurbished phones are fully tested before sale. This helps ensure that the phone is functioning correctly regardless of whether its cosmetic condition is Premium, Great or Fair.

Not necessarily. Battery condition varies between individual devices according to factors such as age, previous usage and charging history.

When buying a used phone privately, there may be no minimum battery-health requirement. Every refurbished phone sold by Want a New Gadget has a minimum of 80% battery health when checked and prepared for sale.

Read our Refurbished Phone Battery Health Guide for more information.

Both refurbished and used phones can show signs of previous use. One advantage of a clear refurbishment grading system is that you have a better indication of the cosmetic condition to expect before buying.

We grade our refurbished phones as Premium, Great or Fair, depending on their cosmetic appearance. The grade does not affect the requirement for the phone to be fully functional.

See our Refurbished Phone Grading Guide for a detailed comparison.

Refurbished phones purchased from Want a New Gadget include a 12-month warranty, subject to our warranty terms and exclusions.

A phone bought privately may not include equivalent warranty protection, so this is an important factor to consider when comparing refurbished and privately sold used devices.

See our Warranty Policy for full details.

It depends on what you value when buying a phone. A privately sold used phone may sometimes cost less, while buying refurbished from a retailer can provide additional reassurance through testing, clear cosmetic grading and warranty protection.

The important thing is to compare the condition, battery, testing, warranty and total price rather than price alone.

A refurbished phone has usually been previously owned, used or returned, so in that sense it is a second-hand device. The difference is that a refurbished phone has subsequently been checked and tested before being offered for resale.

They can be. A privately sold used phone may have a lower purchase price, while the price of a refurbished phone can reflect additional testing, grading, retailer support and warranty protection.

Prices also vary significantly according to model, storage capacity, cosmetic condition and age.

The level of risk depends largely on who you buy from and what checks and protections are provided.

Buying a refurbished phone from a retailer that clearly states its testing, battery, grading and warranty policies can provide protections that may not be available when purchasing directly from a private seller.

Check the phone's physical condition, battery health, functionality, network or activation status and whether there are any account or activation locks. You should also establish what return rights or warranty protection, if any, are included with the purchase.

Look for clear information about how the phone has been tested, its cosmetic grading, minimum battery standard, warranty and returns policy.

These details make it easier to understand exactly what you're buying and what protection is available if something goes wrong.